Aircraft Registration

Register an Aircraft

Eligibility

An aircraft is eligible for U.S. Registration if it is not registered in another country and it is owned by:

  • An individual who is a United States citizen,
  • A partnership each of whose partners is an individual who is a U.S. citizen,
  • A corporation or association:
    • organized under the laws of the U.S. or a State, the District of Columbia, or a U.S. territory or possession,
    • of which the president and at least two-thirds of the board of directors and other managing officers are U.S citizens, and
    • in which at least 75% of the voting interest is owned or controlled by persons that are U.S. citizens,
  • An individual citizen of a foreign country lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the U.S.,
  • A U.S. governmental unit or subdivision
  • A non-U.S. citizen corporation organized and doing business under the laws of the U.S. or one of the States as long as the aircraft is based and primarily used in the U.S. (60% of all flight hours must be from flights starting and ending within the U.S.)

Registering Your Aircraft

An aircraft may be registered only by and in the legal name of its owner. To register an aircraft send the following to the Aircraft Registration Branch:

  • an Aircraft Registration Application, AC Form 8050-1
  • evidence of ownership (such as one or more bills of sale)
  • the $5.00 registration fee made payable to the Federal Aviation Administration

You must use an original Aircraft Registration Application, AC Form 8050-1. For the online form select this link, Aircraft Registration Application. Paper application forms may be obtained from the Aircraft Registration Branch or your local FAA Flight Standards District Office (FSDO)

If a P.O. box or mail drop location is used for mailing purposes, you must also provide your physical address or location on the application. If necessary, provide directions or a map for locating your residence or place of business.

The Aircraft Registration Application must include the typed or printed name of each signer with their signature in the signature block.

Each signer must also show their title as appropriate to their position to sign for the applicant, ie. Individual owner, co-owner, partner, managing member; or corporate officer: like president, vice president, secretary, or manager.

Additional Information

For general information, review: Information to Aid in the Registration of U.S. Civil Aircraft (PDF)

Contact the Aircraft Registration Branch by phone, e-mail, or letter if you have a registration question that is not addressed in these pages.

Related

Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) Information

If your ELT information has changed or if you are purchasing, selling, buying or disposing of an aircraft with a 406 MHz ELT, now is the time to ensure your ELT registration information is up to date and correct at: https://beaconregistration.noaa.gov/RGDB/

Keeping your ELT information up to date is not only required, it could save your life and or the lives of your family and friends.  When an ELT is activated, the registration data is automatically forwarded to the Rescue Coordination Centers providing critical data to aid search and rescue efforts, reducing unnecessary risk to the search and rescue response, and helping to reduce false alerts.  Additionally, aircraft owners must update their information upon transfer of an ELT to another aircraft owner, or upon any other change in registration information.

Registering or updating your 406 MHz ELT is free, easy, and required.        
NOTE: The SARSAT system no longer monitors 121.5 Mhz.

For more information refer to:
   ᛫  ELT beacon information https://www.sarsat.noaa.gov/
   ᛫  ELT equipage requirements,14 CFR 91.207 Emergency locator transmitters
   ᛫  ELT registration requirements,47 CFR 87.199(f) Special requirements for
      406.0‑406.1 MHz ELTs


Register or update your 406 MHz ELT information here: https://beaconregistration.noaa.gov/RGDB/

Last updated: Friday, December 1, 2023